Method and apparatus for maintaining adjacent railway cars on a level plane-electricmotor control



. 1938. T. H. SCHOEPF ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING ADJACENT RAILW CARS ON A LEVEL PLANE: ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL Filed Jan. 24, 1935 ATTORNEYS INVENTORS T/ffODORf H. SCH JEFF BY .DflV/fl M BITCH/E Y (f. 's W Patented Nov. 1, 1938 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAIN- ING ADJACENT RAILWAY CARS ON LEVEL PLANE-ELECTRIC MOTOR TROL A CON- Theodore H. Schoepf and David M. Ritchie, Cincinnati, Ohi

o, asslgnors to The Cincinnati Traction Bldg. Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio- Application January 24, 1935, Serial No. 3,346

12 Claims.

It is the object of our invention to provide an automatic control for movements of a vehicle body, particularly a railway car.

It is our object to provide such a means for resisting the downward movement of one part of the car, the upward movement of another part of the car, and for dampening all of the movements and for reducing the vibrations of the car.

In particular, this invention relates to the control of the car as indicated from a remote point, where the control mechanism is located, because of the maximum movements of the car body, to the important point where the force must be applied to regulate and control the car body movement.

One of the difllculties to be overcome in apparatus of this type is apparatus connections, both in number and complication, between the controlling element, technically called the transmitter, and the controlled mechanism, technically called the receiver, as they must be located remote from one another, but at the same time the control must be sensitive and instantaneous and must be responsive to the movements of the vehicle.

Furthermore, in connection with a train of railway cars, it is frequently necessary to so arrange the control or transmitter mechanism that it can anticipate the forces that will be subsequently applied to the cars, and by so anticipating them set the mechanism or receiver in operation for the correction of the effect of the anticipated forces. For instance, in a train of cars, when the locomotive or leading car enters a curve, the effect upon that leading element will be subsequently duplicated on every one of the remaining cars in the train. If this effect is anticipated by correction mechanism, then the correction mechanism will have time to operate and gradually effect a reduction of the rolling of the cars by anticipating this rolling with adjustments.

In trains, particularly articulated trains, where the coordination of the car floors and car bodies is important, and where high speeds to which such trains are subjected aggravate normal conditions found in railway operation, it is particularly necessary to have the controlled mechanism or receiver located at such points in the train as will effect the objects herein related.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagram of an articulated train comprising a pilot car and two coaches.

Figure 2 is a diagram of the control mechanism.

Figure 3 ls.a diagram of the modification of the control circuit.

Referring to the drawing in detail, I designates the pilot or motor car of an articulated train having coaches 2' and 3. The forward end 4' of the forward car is supported on the truck 5', and the rear end-is supported jointly with car 2', on the articulated truck 6. The rear end of car 2' and the front end of car 3' are supported on the articulated truck I. The rear end 8' of car 3' is supported on the truck 9.

While this invention is applicable to trains that are not articulated, yet we have shown it in connection with articulated trains because the problem is aggravated in connection with such trains for the reasons stated.

Control mechanism The control mechanism is located at A at the top of the car I, at the forward end 4 The controlled mechanism is located at the points B, C, D, and E, adjacent the trucks 5', 6, l and 9.

When the train enters a curve, where the centrifugal force, super-elevation of the outside rail and other factors will tend to rock the body or bodies and will tend to twist them torsionally about their horizontal axes, the control apparatus A will be the first to feel the effect and will move, as hereinafter described, for the adjustment of the controlled apparatus B, C, D and E. In the electrical art, apparatus comprising a self-synchronous system is well known, an illustration of which will be found in United States Letters Patent No. 684,579, dated October 15, 1901, showing means for operating electrical machines synchronously. We employ the principle of a self-synchronous arrangement as a factor or component in our apparatus which is the subject of this application.

Referring particularly to Figure 2, there will be seen the controlling apparatus A, which comprises a self-synchronous transmitter consisting of the frame and fields, designated I, and the armature 2. This transmitter is supplied with current from any desired alternating current source.

The leads for this purpose are designated 3 and 4. The armature 2 is adjusted in its position by the pendulum 5 on the pendulum shaft 6, which is attached to the armature. As the train rolls or tilts this pendulum will be moved. In doing so it will effect a corresponding self-synlocated at B, C, D and E. A typical device for this purpose isindicated in Figure 2 at B. The lead wires land 4 are in electrical connection with the transmitter at the right and are 'connected with the receiver-at the-leit through the cablcslandiwhichareextensionsoithelead lines i and 4. Each 0! these instruments has contact rings a and b; the branch lines (I contacting with the contact rings a and the branch lines e contacting with the contact rings b: and eachof these latter wires'terminatesin a brush contacting, respectively, with the rings a and b. The iields l and i are interconnected by the usual lead lines I. All that is here described is shown, essentially, diagrammatically in the upper part of Fig. 2.

The self-synchronous device l likewise has an armature l0, which moves in synchronism with the movement of the armature I. This device carries the contact switch arm ii, and thereby thecontactsmadeandbrokenbythisarm ilare controlled by the movement of the pendulum 5, which inturn, is aiiected by the tilting oi the forward end of the train, which tilt will be also impartedtosubsequent portions of thetrainas th y pass over the same track which caused the tilt.

Controlled mechanism The pendulum switch II is provided with contact points I! and II. These contact points are adapted to engage contact strips. The contact point it engages the strip i4 when it swings to 'the right-hand and the strip it when it swings to the leit-hand. The contact I! when the pendulum swings to the right-hand first engages the strip i4 and then, upon a further swing to the right-hand, it engages the strip H. The contact I! on swinging to the left-hand first engages the contact II and then the contact It.

It will be observed that the contact II of the pendulum is sumciently large to contact both strip i4 and strip II at one and the same time (see the dotted lines showing contact I! in touch with strips l4 and I1, and II and I! in P18. 2) in response to an extreme tilting ofthe car body, thereby simultaneously and coincidentally energizing both solenoids a and 34, so that the armature 42 will'be connected into the circuit, with the resistance I! switched out of the circuit.

The contact I4 is connected by the wire 20 to the solenoid coil II. This coil operates the solenoid core 22. This core 22 controls the hydraulic valve 24, the function of which will be hereinafter described. It corrects, through the associated mechanism, the rolling of the car to the righthand. The contact II is connected by the wire 24 to a similar solenoid coil 2!, having a core 24 operating a valve member in the valve 21, which msed to control the tilting of the car to the left- The switch arm ii is connected by the line 28 to the battery 24, the other side of which is connected by the line 84 to the junction point ii. The right-hand of the Junction point is connected by the wire 82 to the solenoid coils a and I4, regulating the armature series resistance, as described hereinafter. The left-hand of the terminal Ii isconnected tothewire II. Thiswire is connected to the ends of the solenoid coils 2| and 24, thus completing the circuit with those coils in circuit. This arrangement eilects electrically the control of the application of hydraulic pressure to resist the rolling movement of the car. The degree 01' the rolling movement and the degree of resistance to thatrolling movement are determined by the engagement of the contact l2 with the contact plates i6 and I! or it and II. The contact i8 is connected by the wire "to the contact l8, and the contact i1 is connected by the wire 81 to the contact ID.

A common wire 38 is connected to the contacts I and it. At its other end it is connected to the solenoid coil 33, which has the solenoid core 301 On this core are mounted switch blades 40 and 4i. The switch members 40 and 4| control the armature series resistance conditions 01' the armature 42 of a motor used for creating hydraulic pressure through'a suitable hydraulic system which is employed for controlling the rocking or rolling of the car. The armature 42 is provided with a brush 43, which is connected by the wire 44 to the terminal 45, that is engaged by the switch arm 4|, which in turn, connects it to the terminal 46 connected to the wire 41. This wire is connected into the wire 32.

The other side of the armature is connected through the brush 48 by the wire 48 to the contact In, which is connected by the switch arm 40 to. the contact 5| and wire 52. Connected into the wire 52 is the armature series resistance 53, the other side of which is connected by the wire 54 to the terminal 55. This resistance is shortclrcuited out of the system by the closing of the switch 58, connecting the wire 52 directly to the terminal Iii through the contacts 51 and 58. This switch 56 is actuated by the solenoid core 59 of the coil 34, one end of which is'connected to the wire 42 and the other end of which is connected by the wire to the interconnected contact plates II and i9, which are joined by the wire 41. Thus, the armature condition is controlled by the extent to which the rocking of the car or its tilting carries the contact i2.

Turning again to the motor 42, its held I is connected to line 82 on one side, and the line 62 at the junction point 63 is connected to the wire 64, which has the branches and 66. V The branch 88 is normally connected by switch arm 61 to the wire 68, containing the field discharge resistance 69. The other side of this resistance isv connected by the switch It to the wire II, which in turn, is connected to the wire I! that leads to the other side of the field 6i.

Upon energization of the coil II the switch blade 81 connects the wire 65 to the wire 13. The wire 13 is connected by the line 14 to one sideoi the battery 28. The other side of this battery is connected by the line 15 to the line 14. The line It is connected to the line 12 by the switch arm ll. When this occurs the field discharge resistance 69 is cut out of circuit. Likewise, when the contact I5 is engaged the coil 25 will be energized, moving switch arm Hi to connect the wire II to the wire ll, cutting out of circuit the field discharge resistance 89. The switch arm 18 connects the wire is to the terminal 0: through the wire 18. In Figure 3 is shown the capacitator 68a used in place of the field discharge resistance 68.

' Hydraulic control system The electric motor 42 heretofore described opcrates a piston rod 80 having a piston 4i. This pipe 99 to the pipe 99, which leads to the bottom of the cylinder 90.

The cylinder is provided with a piston 9 I and a piston rod 92, which may, in any well-known manner, engage with the bottom of the car 90. A pipe 94 is connected to the cylinder 90, and extends to the pipe 90, and thence to the valve 21, beneath the ported partition 90. The port in this partition is controlled by the valve member 91 and the solenoid valve stem 20. The pipe 90 connects the upper end of the valve 21 to the opposite end of the cylinder 92. The pipe 94 has an extension 99 that leads to the bottom of the cylinder I00 on the left-hand side of the body 90. The piston |0| in the cylinder has a piston rod I02 which engages the bottom of the body 90 when the car tips at that side. The top of this cylinder I00 is connected by the pipe I00 to the pipe 99. This pipe I03 has an extension 89, which connects with the lower end of the cylinder 90.

Thus, as pressure is supplied on the bottom of the piston 9| to resist the downward movement of the body 93, pressure is applied downward on the opposite side through the pipe I03 on the piston |0|; and vice versa. Therefore, if the car rocks in a given direction there will be hydraulic pressure applied resisting the downward movement of the car in that direction, and hydraulic pressure will be applied downward on the upwardly moving side of the car. Thedegree of this pressure will depend upon the extent to which the rocking takes place. This is accomplished by the adjustment of the armature series resistance through the engagement with the multiple contacts l0 and H or III and I9. The direction of application of the hydraulic pressure is controlled by the engagement of the contact I0 with either contact plate I4 or contact plate I0.

Therefore, the result of these functions is that when either piston 92 and I02 is forced upward toward the low side of the car, the other piston under the high side of the car will be forced downward. Thus the apparatus has a dual function which it will perform to restore a tipped car to a normal lateral horizontal position.

The motor 42 rotates in one direction and then in another responsive to the position of the pendulum II, which, in turn, is responsive to the tilting of the car body. For instance, if the car body'tilts downwardly on the right-hand side. then the contact I3 of the pendulum II will engage contact and complete the circuit to energize solenoid 2|, which will actuate the contact 61 to complete the circuit between wires 10 and 60. At the same time contact 11 will rise and complete the circuit between wires 16 and 12, thereby completing the circuit between the battery 29 and the motor-field coil 9| to energize the coil 6| for rotation of the motor 42 in a par ticular sense, and the motor 42 will'continue to rotate in that sense until the car body rights itself or is righted and the pendulum assumes the vertical or normal position as shown in Figure 2.

Indeed, assuming the car body tilts downwardly on the left-hand side then the pendulum II swings to the left and contact I3 engages contact I5 and completes the circuit to energize solenoid 25, whereupon solenoid 2i actuates contact 10 to close the gap between wires 1| and 10, and contact 10 closes the gap between wires 10 and 19, thereby completing the circuit between the battery 29 and the field coil 0| of the motor to cause the motor armature 42 to rotate in a sense opposite to that described in the previous paragraph hereof. And the armature 42 will continue to'rotate in that sense until the pendulum II has resumed its normal position as shown in Fig. 2, and contact l3 has discontinued engagement with contact I5.

As to the operation of the cylinder 92 and its piston 9|, piston rod 80, and the motor 42, we state that when the piston 8| is being moved to the right by the rotation of the motor 42, it thereby creates pressure on the upper side of piston MI, and the fluid in the cylinder I00 below the piston |0| is forced out through pipes 99 and 95 to the lower chamber of valve 21. This fluid is sumcient to lift the valve 91 oil its seat. because the valve 91 is only held seated by the weight of itself and associated parts. Then the valve 21 is thereby exhausted through its upper chamber and the pipe 98 into the left-hand chamber of pump 82, wherein the pressure has been reduced by virtue of the fact that piston 9| is traveling to the right. By these means lineal motion is imparted to the piston 8| and its rod 80. Accordingly the motor 42 is energized and will operate to actuate the piston rod 90 and its piston 8| alternately in both directions-right and left.

Referring to Figure 1, there is provided in some cases an observation and operating control room I04 on top of the car. It is preferred to locate the pendulum control at this point, where it can be readily observed and where the maximum degree of movement will be found.

In our copending application Ser. No. 2.074, filed January 16, 1935, we have disclosed certain subject matter which is also disclosed in this present application filed eight days later, namely, January 24, 1935, but in this later or present application, we do not claim what is claimed in said application of January 16, 1935. And furthermore there are features of importance in this later application, Serial Number 3,346, that are not at all included in application Serial Number 2,074; for instance, as the controlling mechanasm and 2, and the controlled mechanism or receiver 9 and I0, shown particularly in Figure 2 of the drawing, which mechanism is not present in application'Ser. No. 2,074.

We desire to comprehend within our invention such modifications as may be embraced within our claims and the scope of our invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a car body and a truck,'

will move said pendulum in a given direction and the first-mentioned self-synchronous motor will have its armature likewise moved for selectively operating said switch.

2. In combination, a car body and a truck, means for controlling the rocking of the car. an

adjacent self-synchronous device comprising a motor, a switch control associated with the armature of said motor and moved thereby for regulating said car-rocking controlling means, a remotely located interconnected synchronous motor having an armature, a weighted pendulum mounted on said armature, whereby the rockingoithe carwilimove saidpenduluminagiven direction andthe first-mentioned self-synchronous motor will have its armature likewise moved for selectively operating said switch, and means 5 associated with the controlling means for varying the eflect thereof according to the extent of swing or said pendulum means connected to'the synchronous motor armature.

3. In combination, a car, a truck, hydraulical- 1o ly actuated means for resisting the movement of the car relative to the truck whereby hydraulic pressure is set up, such resisting means being located on either side oi the truck, electrical means for controlling the application of said hydraulic pressure, a self-synchronous motor, or

receiver, having an armature switch for selectively, according to the tipping oi the car, operating said electrical means, and a remotely located synchronous motor or transmitter having an a pendulum-operated armature electrically connected to the first-mentioned self-synchronous motor, whereby the movement 01' the pendulum motor will actuate the other motor to the same extent and in the same direction for the correction oi the rocking oi the car.

4. In combination, a car, a truck, hydraulically actuated means for resisting the movement 01' the car relative to the truck, such resisting means being located on either side of the truck; elec- 30 trical means and its accessories for controlling the application of said hydraulic means; a self-synchrcnous motor or receiver having an armature switch for selectively, according to the tipping of the car, operating said electrical means; a remotely located synchronous motor or transmit- .ter having a pendulum-operated armature electrically connected to the first-mentioned sell.- synchronous motor, whereby the movement of the pendulum motor will actuate the other motor to the same extent and in the same direction for the correction of the rocking of the car, said electrical means including means for controlling the extent of the application of hydraulic pressure depending upon the extent or movement of a the armatures oi said synchronous and said selfsynchronous motors. 5. In combination, a railway car, hydraulically applied means for resisting the rocking of the car, electrically controlled means, and its accessories, for controlling the application or said hydraulic means to the car, said electrical means comprising a direction selection circuit depending upon the direction of tilt of the car body for its selection, and a pressure-increasing circuit 55 depending for its operation upon the degree of tilt of the body; a self-synchronous electric mo- -tor or receiver having an armature switch for selectively engaging said electrical circuits, and an electrically interconnected synchronous elec- M 'tric motor, or transmitter, having an armature and an actuating pendulum connected thereto aii'ected by the tilting oi the car, whereby the direction of tilt and the extent of tilt result in the control of the direction and amount or re- M sistance applied to the tilt of the car body.

6.-In combination in a train of cars, a plurality of cars and trucks, means associated with each car and with at least one oi its trucks for resisting the tilting oi the body on the truck, such- 70 means comprising hydraulically-actuated devices between the car body and the truck, and electrically operated devices for selectively determining the place and direction of application of the hydraulic means; said electrically operated 7 devices including a self-synchronous electric motor or receiver having a selective switch for operating selectively from the armature movement oi said self-synchronous motor or receiver the particular circuit that is to be operated; a common remotely located synchronous motor or transmits ter electrically interconnected with the tintmentioned self-synchronous motor or receiver so that their armatures move together; and a pendulum attached to the armature or the second motor or transmitter, whereby the tilt of the car 10 carrying the last-named motor or transmitter will adjust the mechanism for controlling the tilt of the several cars.

7. In combination in a train oi cars, a plurality of cars and trucks, means associated with each 15 car and with at least one of its trucks for resisting the tilting of the body on the truck, such means, comprising hydraulically-actuated means between the car body and the truck and electrically-operated means for selectively determining go the place and direction of application of the hydraulic means; said electrically operated means including a self-synchronous electric motor or receiver having a selective switch for operating selectively from the armature movement of said as motor or receiver the particular circuit that is to be operated; a common remotely located synchronous motor or transmitter electrically interconnected with the first-mentioned self-synchronous motor or receiver so that their armatures 10 move together; and a pendulum attached to the armature of the said second motor or transmitter, whereby the tilt of the car carrying the second motor or transmitter will adjust the mechanism for controlling the tilt of the several cars, said as controlling synchronous motor with the pendulum being located at the top of the car.

8. In combination in a train of cars, a plurality of cars and trucks, means associated with each car and with at least one of its trucks for 40 resisting the tilting of the body on the truck, such means comprising hydraulically-actuated devices between the car body and the truck, and electrically operated devices for selectively determining the place and direction of application or the hydraulic devices; said electrically operated devices including a self-synchronous electric motor or receiver having a selective switch for operating selectively from the armature movement or said self-synchronous motor or receiver the particular circuit that is to be operated: a common remotely located synchronous motor or transmitter electrically interconnected with the first-mentioned self-synchronous motor or receiver,,so that their armatures move together; and. a pendulum attached to the armature of said second motor or transmitter, whereby the tilt of the car carrying this motor or transmitter will adjust the mechanism for controlling the tilt of the several cars, said controlling synchronous 0 motor or transmitter having its pendulum located at the top oi the car, such motor or transmitter being mounted on the first car of the series of cars in the train.

9. In combination in a train of cars, resisting means on each car for resisting any side tipping movement thereof, a gravity operated device mounted on the forward car of the train, and power transmitting connections from said device to the tipping-resisting means on each car, 70

whereby: upon operation of said device upon the tipping of the forward car the tipping-resisting means of the other cars in the train are operated to control the tipping movements or said other cars. 15

10. In a method of controlling the tipping movements of railway cars, the following steps: the step of transmitting electrical energy from a gravity-operated transmitter in one car to a receiver in said car and in each of one or more other railway cars; automatically closing an electric circuit by a switch on each of said receivers responsive to the operative position of said transmitter, and causing such circuit to open a source of fluid supply into a distributing instrumentality; delivering such fluid supply to contact with a movable instrumentality on each car; and applyingthe force of such movable instrumentality to either side of each car for restoring said other cars to a level condition in accordance with the position of said first-mentioned car.

11. In a method of controlling the tipping movements of railway cars, the following steps: transmitting electrical energy from a gravityoperated transmitter in one railway car to a receiver in said car and on each one or more other railway cars; automatically closing an electric circuit by a switch on each of said receivers responsive to the operative position of said transmitter and causing such circuit to open a source of fluid suply into a distributing instrumentality; delivering such fluid supply and causing it to contact with two enclosed movable instrumentalities on each car; eflecting a balance of such fluid supply by conveying it from the upper part of the enclosure of one of said movable instrumentalities to the lower part of the enclosure of another of said instrumentalities, and vice versa, whereby the fluid is caused to exert a pressure upon the opposite sides of each of said instrumentalities and is permitted to discharge from one side of one instrumentality to the opposite side of the other of said instrumentalities; controlling the flow of fluid to the distributing instrumentality which conveys the fluid to said enclosures, and applying the force of such movable instrumentality to either side of the car for restoring said other cars to a level condition in accordance with the position 01 said first-mentioned car.

12. In combination, a car, hydraulic instrumentalities located upon opposite sides thereof for resisting the tipping movement of the car, a gravity-operated transmitting means on said car, a receiver having a switch located a suitable distance from said transmitting means, power transmitting electrical devices and hydraulic connections between said receiver and said hydraulic car tipping means whereby automatic operation of said receiver will effect through said connections operation of the hydraulic means for resisting the tipping movement of the car under the automatic control of the gravity operated transmitting means to restore said car from a tipped to a level condition.

THEODORE H. SCHOEPF. DAVID M. RITCHIE. 

